Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Newbury, Ripon, Doncaster, Newmarket, Market Rasen and Bath on 17 August 2024.
NEWBURY
Race 1 Bet Victor GEOFFREY FREER STAKES (Group 3)
No1 AL AASY (Nap)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Jim Crowley
Crowley gave AL AASY an absolute peach to score at this level at Goodwood, employing the patience of Job in waiting for a gap against the rail which his mount took without flinching. The combination take a penalty into this historic race but should outclass their foes.
Race 3 No13 ZOUZANNA (Each Way)
Trainer: Harry Charlton – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
ZOUZANNA takes my eye operating from the foot of the weights in this race up the final 1400 metres of the straight course. The daughter of Zoustar did her best work at the finish of her latest start at Ascot and even though this represents a class jump she could easily take away a cheque with Murphy an eye-taking booking for her.
Race 4 BetVictor HUNGERFORD STAKES (Group 2)
No6 KIKKULI
Trainer: Harry Charlton – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
KIKKULI has always had plenty to live up to being a close relative of the one and only Frankel. That champion’s half-brother brings Group3 placed form to the table courtesy of his narrow defeat by Haatem in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. His midfield finish in the prestigious Prix Jean Prat at Deauville is not to be sneezed at, and suggests the son of Kingman is operating on an upward curve. Most of his rivals have questions to answer, and it looks a good opportunity for him to break his Pattern race duck.
RIPON
Race 1 No9 MANILA THRILLER (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Connor Beasley
As the only filly taking on males, MANILA THRILLER receives a handy sex allowance which can help her overcome two other previous winners in this novice. The daughter of Rumble Inthejungle landed a touch in a Chester seller with Beasley in the hot seat and was far from disgraced when third in a similar race to today’s at Ffos Las. She refused to enter the stalls on her next intended start but has reconsidered positively to tuition at the gate at home. She’s up against a doughty foe in Newbury scorer Linwood, but that one will find it tough trying to give the Nap 13lbs.
Race 4 WILLIAM HILL GREAT ST WILFRID HANDICAP
No15 INGRA TOR (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Harry Davies
INGRA TOR has been something of an underachiever considering how much natural talent he possesses. However, there was much to like about each of his last two earning runs at Doncaster and Yarmouth, and granted some luck in running he can post a first success in 16 months. SUMMERGHAND is a previous winner of this marquee race in the Ripon calendar and has been showing enough in the major sprint handicaps to suggest he can also have a say. WOBWOBWOB is one that could easily attract market support while another potentially well-weighted contender is KITAI, who stated his intentions for a race of this nature with a win at Goodwood’s Qatar Festival.
Prediction: 1st INGRA TOR, 2nd Summerghand, 3rd Kitai, 4th Wobwobwob
DONCASTER
Race 6 No3 COVER POINT (Nap)
Trainer: Julie Camacho – Jockey: Danny Tudhope
COVER POINT got the job done in tidy fashion with cheek pieces added on just a fourth start for his trainer. His narrow margin of victory assured he wasn’t hit hard by the assessor, and has paved the way for what should be back-to-back successes.
NEWMARKET
Race 1 No5 STRIKE
Trainer: Jonny Portman – Jockey: David Egan
STRIKE has done us a couple of favours and is in such good fettle that a fourth success from five outings could well be on the cards. The grey has operated strictly at Class5 level but is fully deserving of this first venture into a Class4.
Race 3 No5 TIMEFALL (Nap)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Edward Greatrex
TIMEFALL got the better of Silver Ghost after a ding-dong battle in a course and distance maiden. Both should progress and be in their element now pursuing the nursery route, but Timefall is a beautifully bred individual who may have the greater scope in terms of today’s task at hand.
MARKET RASEN
Race 8 No4 GREATNESS AWAITS (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
Dual purpose horse GREATNESS AWAITS took a while to get his feet under the table as a jumper but has shown with a win at Newton Abbot and a good run in defeat at Worcester that he’s found his comfort zone. This is a competitive heat, but he’s a likely earner.
BATH
Race 5 No5 CARIBBEAN WIND (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: George Bass
CARIBBEAN WIND opened her account in a weak race at Ripon when backed as of defeat was out of the question. For all her lack of experience, the chestnut should prove too sprightly for her foes in this sprint handicap, her first run in such a race.
